All by April: An Open Letter from
Pro-Democracy Philanthropy
Nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations are a cornerstone of our democracy and play a critical role in ensuring that our elections are free, fair, and representative. These civic groups work to reduce barriers to voting, combat misinformation, and protect the rights of Americans throughout the election process. They help recruit poll workers, organize nonpartisan voter registration drives, support local election officials, and work to ensure that the diversity of our electorate is represented in our election process. These dedicated pro-democracy organizations connect voters to the ballot and help protect the integrity of our election system. As funders and donors, we hear the same thing from our grantee partners after every election cycle:
The money came too late.
This is particularly true for smaller, grassroots organizations and for groups led by and based in communities of color.
As pro-democracy funders and donors, we know early resources are essential for groups on the ground. It allows organizations to plan confidently, hire and train staff, develop better messaging and tactics, and lock-in lower-cost rates for many expenses. Early money enables groups to support communities during primary elections to identify concerns that need to be addressed ahead of November. As more and more jurisdictions allow for early and mail-in voting, nonprofits have even less time to plan their programs and need resources sooner. Further, nonprofits that are funded earlier are better prepared to put late money to more effective use.
We know that our own grantmaking timelines and practices are at the heart of the challenge. So, this year, we’re doing something about it. We’re pledging to make commitments earlier and to move funds sooner. We’re going to move all we can by the end of April.
Each of us – whether a foundation, a pooled fund, a donor network, an individual donor, a donor advisor, or other philanthropy professional – has committed to review our own election-related gifts, move faster wherever possible, and encourage our partners across philanthropy to do the same. This could look like:
- Make all or most of our grant commitments by the end of April.
- Make grant or donation payments by the end of April.
- Move up disbursements of multiyear grants that had been scheduled for later in the year.
- Streamline processes, especially for renewal grants.
- Provide general support grants, which are helpful to grantees and often faster for us.
- Trust our grantees and leaning on trusted peers’ diligence.
Actions will look different for each of us. Some of us will be able to make all of our grant commitments by the end of April. Others will be able to streamline renewal processes or will find other ways to ease the burdens of our grantee partners. Those of us who are donor advisors or funder networks will encourage our partners to adopt these practices. We will be challenging ourselves and sharing ideas with each other.
This is not intended to discourage donors from addressing needs that are identified later in the cycle, but rather to encourage our peers across philanthropy to not wait to fund the critical and urgent work that must be supported now. We realize this effort isn’t enough to address the systemic funding challenges that the field faces, including the boom-and-bust cycle of election-year funding, but we hope it’s a start.
We call on our philanthropic peers to join us. Make the pledge to provide early support to the organizations that help uphold our democracy. Move election funds faster wherever possible and encourage your networks to do the same. Our grantees and our democracy will be stronger for it.
174 supporters have signed as of November 14, 2024
14 of those supporters have signed anonymously.
Democracy Fund
Open Society Foundations
The JPB Foundation
AAPI Civic Engagement Fund
Abbey Banks
Akaya Windwood
Alta Futures
Amalgamated Foundation
American Citzenship Project
Arabella Advisors
Arca Foundation
Ariane van Buren
Arlene Levy
Aviv Foundation
Becky Silverstein
Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust
Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation
Bia Vieira, Women's Foundation California
Charles F. Kettering Foundation
Conant Family Foundation
Crankstart
Dave Burd
David Callahan
David Lee
David Rockefeller Fund
David Slifka
Davis Squared Consulting
Democracy Alliance
Democracy Funders Network
Dietel and Partners
Donors of Color Network
Doug Edwards
East Bay Latina Giving Circle of the Latino Community Foundation
Educational Foundation of America
Eileen Farbman
Elizabeth Allison Thomas
Elmina B. Sewall Foundation
Entertainment 2 Affect Change (E2AC)
Erinn Andrews
Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
Evie Lovett
Focus for Democracy
Four Freedoms Fund
Funders for LGBTQ Issues
Funders' Committee for Civic Participation
Gaia Fund
Galaxy Gives
General Service Foundation
Geneva Global
Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees
Grantmakers for Southern Progress
Greenbridge Family Foundation
Hallie Iglehart Austen
Harold Erdman
Hispanics in Philanthropy
Institute for Wise Philanthropy
Investing in US
James B. McClatchy Foundation
Jason Berkenfeld
Jason Franklin
Jill Anderson, PhD
Julia Da Silva
Justin Buell
Karen Grove
Karla Jurvetson
Katrina Anderson
Katz Amsterdam Foundation and Charitable Trust
Ktisis Capital
Kylie Flanagan
Larry Ottinger
Latino Community Foundation
Laughing Gull Foundation
Laurie Emrich
Leena Barakat
Leland Fikes Foundation
Libra Foundation
Lijphart Family Fund, East Bay Community Foundation
Marcia Lovelace & Dennis Fagaly
Marissa and Ryan Hersh
Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation
McKnight Foundation
Merck Family Fund
Mertz Gilmore Foundation
Michael Gast
Michelle Puckett
Michie Impact Fund & ImpactFull, Inc.
Moon Song Fund
Move Money Shift Power
Movement Voter Fund
Natembea Foundation
National Center for Family Philanthropy
National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy
NEO Philanthropy
New Tudor Foundation
New Venture Fund
New York Foundation
Northern California Grantmakers
OAAHC
One for Democracy
Panorama Global / The Ascend Fund
Park Foundation
Patrice K Aaron
Peter E. Haas Jr. Family Fund
Phīla Engaged Giving
Philanthropy for Voter Engagement: a project of Nonprofit VOTE
philippe villers
Pro-Democracy Center
Propel Democracy Forward Fund
Public Wise
Rachel Sheinbein
Raikes Foundation
Ray Colmenar
Rebecca Balter
Regan Pritzker
RepresentUs
Rockefeller Brothers Fund
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Rusty Stahl
Ruth Ann Binder
Sagner Family Foundation
Sam Vinal
Scarlet Feather Fund
Seattle Foundation
Shannon Cofrin Gaggero
Shannon Hunt-Scott
Social Impact Exchange
Solidaire Network
Solidarity Giving
Square One Foundation
State Infrastructure Fund
State Leadership Project
Susan Boren King
Susan Pritzker
The Arkay Foundation
The California Donor Table Fund
The Communications Network
The George Gund Foundation
The Grove Foundation
The Joyce Foundation
The Overbrook Foundation
The Packard Foundation
The Prentice Foundation
The Puffin Foundation
Third Plateau/Hirsch Philanthropy Partners
Threshold Foundation
Tides
Tracy Hewat
Tricia Wilson
Trusted Elections Fund
U.S. Energy Foundation
Ulysses Lateiner & Diane Bulpett
Unite America
Unite and Renew
United Philanthropy Forum
Wallace Global Fund
Way to Rise
WhyNot Initiative
Willow Fund
Yolanda Hippensteele